US 12,659,025 B2 · Resource and mission aware power management for non-geosynchronous orbit smallsats

Abstract

Techniques are described for automated satellite power management (ASPM) for a satellite communication system having a constellation of non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO) small satellites (smallsats). The techniques can be resource- and/or mission-aware. Embodiments control power used by the constellation by evaluating subsets of the NGSO smallsats determined to be covering each of a number of grid regions (GRs) segmenting a coverage area at any particular timestep. For each timestep for each subset, the evaluating includes: determining whether any payloads of the subset are mutable payloads for the timestep (i.e., can be shut down to conserve power without violating mission objectives); and communicating with the subset to control power to the payloads, so that all the mutable payloads are muted for the timestep and all other payloads of the plurality of payloads are unmuted for the timestep.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for adaptive satellite power management for a satellite communication system having a constellation of non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO) smallsats, the method comprising:

controlling power used by the constellation of NGSO smallsats by, iteratively, for each of a plurality of timesteps:
iteratively, for each of a plurality of grid regions (GRs), each GR representing a corresponding segment of a geographic coverage area of the satellite communication system:
determining, based on predefined orbital dynamics of the constellation of NGSO smallsats, a subset of the NGSO smallsats as those having an orbital location during the timestep corresponding to coverage of the GR;
determining whether any of a plurality of payloads of the subset of the NGSO smallsats are mutable payloads for the timestep;
and
communicating with the subset of NGSO smallsats to control power to the plurality of payloads so that all the mutable payloads of the plurality of payloads are muted for the timestep and all other payloads of the plurality of payloads are unmuted for the timestep.

3 more elements

A smart scheduler system disposed in a ground network portion of a satellite communication system having a constellation of non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO) smallsats, the smart scheduler system comprising:

one or more processors;
and
a non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to control power used by the constellation of NGSO smallsats by, iteratively, for each of a plurality of timesteps, performing steps comprising:
iteratively, for each of a plurality of grid regions (GRs), each GR representing a corresponding segment of a geographic coverage area of the satellite communication system:
determining, based on predefined orbital dynamics of the constellation of NGSO smallsats, a subset of the NGSO smallsats as those having an orbital location during the time step corresponding to coverage of the GR;
determining whether any of a plurality of payloads of the subset of the NGSO smallsats are mutable payloads for the timestep;
and
communicating with the subset of NGSO smallsats to control power to the plurality of payloads so that all the mutable payloads of the plurality of payloads are muted for the timestep and all other payloads of the plurality of payloads are unmuted for the timestep.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Resource and mission aware power management for non-geosynchronous orbit smallsats

Life of this patent

Resource and mission aware power management for non-geosynchronous orbit smallsats

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20